1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a general physical conditioning or a physical rehabilitation device. More particularly, the invention relates to an elastic, flexible, and portable exercise device for exercising upper body muscles which is capable of providing varying amounts of resistance to a user, thereby enabling a user to adjust the resistance depending on the strength of the muscles being exercised.
2. Background Art
Elastic, flexible and portable exercising devices are generally inexpensive, convenient to use, and are useful for physical conditioning, particularly in exercising upper body muscles. An elastic exercising device provides resistance against which the user exerts force during exercising.
Many elastic exercising devices provide only constant resistance which limits such devices to being used to exercise only particular muscles or groups of muscles. Additionally, such devices which provide only constant resistance eventually fail to challenge a user as the user's strength increases.
Attempts have been made to provide varying resistance in elastic exercising devices thereby enabling a user to tailor the resistance to meet the need of the muscles being exercised. Many of these devices, however, utilize friction between adjacent, moving or sliding parts to vary the resistance in the device which causes the device to eventually fail or wear out.
Some of these devices are operable only when properly attached to certain portions of the user's body. Other devices are anchored in limited positions relative to a particular body part of a user, such as being looped around the waist or forearm of a user. Devices which are securely attached to or anchored on or about a body part do not require the user to exert a balanced or equal movement. That is, because the device is held in place, the user's conditioning or rehabilitation may not be balanced because the weaker muscle on one side of the body is not exercising against another muscle on the other side of the body, but is merely exercising instead against the fixed, stationary device. This results in an unbalanced work out or therapy.
Additionally, the resistance in some devices can only be made by adjusting the length of the elastic member at the handles of the device. This tends, however, to be cumbersome, particularly when any components of the device dangle from the handles.
Another problem with many of these device is the inability to readily and quickly vary the resistance because of complicated construction. Most of these devices have complicated designs and are therefor expensive to manufacture.
In addition, all exercise devices using an elastic member do not provide a safety mechanism in the event the elastic member breaks or is accidentally severed. If the elastic breaks or is accidentally severed, the user may loose his balance and fall, or the user may inadvertently strike nearby objects injuring the user and nearby objects. Still further, if the elastic member breaks, it may fling itself about injuring the user, others or nearby objects.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that what is needed in the art is an exercising device which enables a user to vary resistance without relying on friction between adjacent, moving or sliding parts to vary the resistance. An elastic exercise device is also needed which enables a user to vary resistance without requiring the device to be attached to or otherwise anchored to a particular body part of a user. It would also be an advance to provide or which does not necessarily require adjustment at the handles of the device. Additionally, an elastic exercising device is needed which can be quickly adjusted, has a simple design and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It would also be an advance to have an exercise device with a safety chord to prevent any injuries or damage caused if elastic members break or are accidentally severed.